Tanoto Foundation, Gates Foundation sign MOU to boost health, nutrition, education in Asia
[SINGAPORE] The Tanoto Foundation and the Gates Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday (May 6) to collaborate on advancing health, nutrition and education in Asia.
Both foundations will build on their existing relationship and work together to identify, design and implement joint initiatives in areas such as public health and healthcare delivery; maternal and child nutrition; access to quality education; and strengthening the philanthropic ecosystem and capacity-building in the region.
For a start, the Tanoto Foundation and the Gates Foundation will work on a nutrition partnership in Indonesia, said Hari Menon, director of South and South-east Asia at the Gates Foundation.
Belinda Tanoto, member of the board of trustees at Tanoto Foundation, said: 'In today's rapidly changing world, the challenges we face are complex and interconnected, from widening funding gaps to the rising disparity between rich and poor.'
Each initiative under this partnership will have its own specific agreement, which will outline the objectives, scope, budget, roles and responsibilities of both parties.
'These project-specific agreements will also reflect a shared commitment to the principle of ensuring that innovations, knowledge and solutions developed are affordable and accessible to the communities that need them the most,' said both foundations.
On Monday, the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA) announced the launch of the Health for Human Potential Community, which will be supported by the Tanoto and Gates Foundations, among others, such as Temasek Foundation.
This Community aims to reduce preventable deaths and disease burdens in South-east Asia by rallying funders, practitioners and ecosystem partners to collaborate on projects. It has an initial funding target of US$100 million, which will be committed by the organisations supporting it, as well as PAA.
Tanoto Foundation, founded by Sukanto Tanoto and Tinah Bingei Tanoto, has supported education systems, healthcare innovation and leadership development in Asia since its inception in 1981. Meanwhile, the Gates Foundation, launched in 2000 by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, has made global efforts to eradicate diseases, expand financial inclusion and enhance agricultural productivity.
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